Limb-straightening device



J. mm.

LIMB STRAIGHTENING DEVICE.

I APPLICATION HLED JAN- 3.1921- 1,384;,25'7, Patented July 12, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- J. HILGERS.

LIMB STRAIGHTENING DEVIC I-If APPLICATION HLED JAN. 3, 1921.

Patented July 12, 1921. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET #llll llllli 1 JOHN HlTLGERS, OF BINGI-IAMTON, NEW YORK.

n ivrn-s'rneronrnnnve nnvron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J uly 12, 1921.

Application filed January 8, 1921. Serial Ive-435,814.

T0 at whom it may concern:

"Be it known that I, J OHN HILGERS, a citizen oi the United States,residing in Binghamtomcounty of Broome, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Limb-StraighteningDevices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification. i

My invention relates to limb straightening devices and refersparticularly to devices for correcting deformities of the legs.

It is well known that curved, or irregular, legs may be straightened bythe application of continued pressure and my device is a means foraccomplishing' this result.

It is evident that such pressure must be of a character not to break, orinjure, the bone, or joints, and as not to bruise, or injure, the flesh,and that it must be of a gradually increasing force, in order to followthe change of form of the bone, as it is brought back to a normal form.

As devices of this character can not be worn continuously, without greatinconvenience, it is advisable that they be of such construction thatthey can be readily applied and used with a minimum of discomfort.

As these devices are removed after each appl cation and replacedfor thenext application, it is essential that some means be employed wherebythe last pressure may be recorded, in order that additional pressure maybe gradually used.

It is further evident that in straightening deformed legs. it isnecessary that a proper pressure be brought to bear upon the joints ofthe bones.

It is further essential that the device he oi? such construction that avery gradual increase of pressure may be applied, in order that the bonemay not be iniured.

As various'bones, as in the legs, may requir straightening, and, asthese vary in different individuals. it is evident that a device forgeneral application must be of such a character asto allow the pressureto be applied at varying predetermined places.-

The device of my invention possesses all of these advan ages and otherswhich will be evident upon an examination of my draw inns and.specification.

In the, particular form of the device of my invention, shown in, theaccompanying drawlngs, similar parts are designated by similar numeralsF igure 1 is a perspective view of one form v of adevice of myinvention.

Fig. 2 IS a plan view of one of the limb plates. l

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a locking means in unlocked position. i

F ig- 4c is a top plan view of a locking means in locked position.

F ig. 5 is a vertical cross-section ofan ankle supporter. V,

Fig. 6 is a section through the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a lan view of one'ofthe pressure devices; I l i Fig. 8 is asection through the line S-8 oi Fig. 7

The particular form of my device, shown in-the accompanying,drawings,comprises a main supporting bar 10, carrying a plurality of slidablesleeves 11, ll, 11 each having a set screw 12 for the purpose of fixedlypositioning the. sleeve in a predetermined position upon thebar 10. Eachsleeve 11 car 'rlesa sleeve 13, capable of re eiving a sleeve 14, whichcan be maintained in a'fixed posi tion therein by means of a set screw15. Spaced fronnand parallel with. each sleeve 14: is a sleev 14. Anexteriorly threaded bar 16 extends through one. end ofthe sleeve 14:.the. threaded portion thereof meshing with the interiorly threaded tube1.7. A check nut 18 is fixedly attached to the bar 16 19 is fixedlyattached to theenlarged portion 20 of the bar 16'. The bar 16' passesthrough, and is attached to, the handle 21 for purposes of ease ofmanipulation. A

collar 22 is fixedly attached to the bar 16.

A. spiral spring 23 abuts uponv the connecting bar 24: and the nut 19.The tube17' is extended into the flat member 25 having the elongatedopening 26. I

It is evident. from the above description, that a revolution of the bar16' will cause the tube 17' to-have a longitudinal movement inwardlyinto. or outwardly from, the sleeve 14' within the sleeve 14 and a nut vThe sleeve is similarly attached to the tube 17 with the extended platemember 25.

The revolution of thehendle 21 andthe-rod e v longitudinal move to theplate25" bymeens oif theserew biolt'i 30, passing through 1 theopening"26 and threaded in an opening "in the memberij29'.1imbplate27-has the extended member iilfwhichl has; whole throughwhichthe rod member 20 is passedi Th limb plate 32, earrying thepad 33',is V The other end of the extended into the plete memben2 if "whichhasty hole 34 through which therod member 20"is pessed.'

. The other eigtremitv of the limb imembei 32 has; the engularjextenslon, 35, hav ng 20. screw "361s threaded; The member '25. of

n threaded hole therein [into which the the tube has button-holePivotelly "iittached to the plate 25, zit-88, isn loeking it jdlyextended member 40 and the look --memberfl1. Theoper'a-tion of theloeke11 3,, the loekingfrnember 41 isqr'evolved into non-locking position.The headset the cannow berpz ssed through the larger portion oftheopening 37, brought iintothe negrrower portion of the opening and thelocking, means revolved upon the pivotBS, thus bringingthei lookingmember All against the shrew 36 [and maintaining it iulplncementws shownin Figs. land lie member ,5

-=speciel .rcferenceibeing made through thelargeriportionfiof the I 3K,'37wand the,..linib plates, 32', 3,2; re-- "Thelii'nb plates 27 and 32heve e serics of vontilatingz lholes42, 42, 12: V v

The tnbes l? and 17 are similarly gradutee inarked, to indicate theextent of position outside, of'th'e sleeves 14L lin ankle separator, forpurposes to be desg ib'ed intern-is shown in-Finjs 5 nndh and:oneprisestwo. curved supports 50 and 51, (it'll earl-vines pad. '52.Thesupport 50 cars thejplnte 531%. which is attached the ded member .54.c The support 51 fCEtT' the plate, .55fihu-ving the interioriy -thrededtubulaif member, 56, into which the inn yr be. threaded.

operation of thedewce '18 as follows, A V p 7 toFig.1: 1

All 'fthelooking members 40, 410,410 are revolved thus unlockingthe'screws' 36, 36, 3G and allowinghthe n to be v withdrawn openingsTvolved, thus allow W an entrance into the ween eechv et. of parallelmembers I1Cl'-l4',, '17, .ernpi d :inrhe Memes-s legs, it

,plnee'din;front of the wearer and parallel V witht-he long1tudinztlaxis of his 'bodypthe mein'con'necting bar 1Q being in front of into thedesired position depending-uponthe particular curvature to be remedied.Forabove the knees and the'other set near the n ember. comprising tho'plate 39, the 1139 if? and-L17, will register the snnie and the orderto'reetify the particuln 1121 .19 .l-:nock-l nees, the nnkletsupport" is"V166 1 formed :lnnbs, espec ally, bower- 1 If the device is to be whenhis legs are introduced into thespace between the parallel members 1%,17and 14;, 17C" Thesleevesll '11, 11 nrejthen moved urposes of eXa-mplei,.1will assume that one sieevebe posit oned m dway between the an} irlesand the knees, the bentrsl set, slightly upper extremity of the legs.,The sleeves 11, 11, llnre then fixed in these positions by means of theset's'crews 12, 12, 12. The

nhle support is now placed betweenthe two ankles endthe. pads 52, 52,,so: spaced I from each other bymeans oithe. screw rne n- 1 ers and 56,that they will press firmly upon the ankles when lthelatter'areinanornielposition. ;The limb phites 32, .32, 32 ere revolved inposition, the screws 36,86, 36 passed through the .openingsBZ, 37,37 andlooked therein by revolving .the docking .iembers' e0, lO, .4L-O to theposition shownfin J 'Fi'gre fEechset screw 15 is'now loosened and thehandles 7.20 and 21, vrevolved until the pads 28 end 83 bear :firmlyupon the two li1'nbs, thesleei='e 1?} being-moved within the sleeve 13,so that whenthe pads'28 11;, and 33 bear firmly upon the two limbs, themarkings; or grednations, upon thetube's 1- is then '51 dxby mezins ofthe set screw 1, Era-ch of the. three 'setsjo'f devices Twill-"nowconform, to the naturzil position of the legs. 'Eaeh' ,oi'ithehenclles21 and 21 are now revolved equally until a. strong inwardpressure is caused upon the limbs at the peint of contactnndthispre'ssureis maintained for severzil hours, for, for as, long aperio il iis-necessa'ry to accomplish the desired results. A recordshould he'lzept' of the ireadingsupon the. tubes 17 and 17, in

order. thatv a continually,. in-orea'sed inward -lllOVQl'llGfll? may be;

zrtteined at each applies tion, untiltlielegs are in a: strz-rightenedpe sition. i f 1 a it evidentjthet theadevices mey be .pliedtoanyydesired portion 'ofithe legs, in 1:"

leformity.

(legs which 'In'the case ofstreighteninlg- 11 5 plrzteedbetween thelniecsnndf the pressure devices; ere'ipleced above, andbelow, the

knees, the grnkle support beinglmadehwider' from applicat ontoapplication, in order to foree the, knees outw erdly. .7 i

., Fror the n'bove,- it isevident thatmy" r resents anieens forstraighteninni and knock-knees, in gradual manner is, out undue pain;den-gen r discomfort.

do not-limit myself; to -the particular si' sh a133, numb or,errangernent ofiparts 7 as shown and d esoribedg gtll ot-Iwhieh may i bevaried without going beyond the scope 130 of my invention claimed.

hat Iclaim is i 1 L'In a device of the character specified, incombination, a main supporting member,

plurality of compression members slidably carried by the supportingmember, means for fixedly attaching the compression members atpredetermined positions upon the supporting member, means for allowingan angular movement of the compression members with respect to thesupporting member, means for fixedly attaching the compression membersto the supporting member at predetermined positions with angularrespect. to the supporting member and means for contracting andexpanding the compression members. i i

2. In a device of the character specified, in combination, a mainsupporting member, a plurality of angularly positioned limb plate rodmembers slidably carried by the supporting member, means for fixedlyattaching the rods at predetermined positions upon thesupporting member,a secondrod parallel to and spaced from each slidable as shown,described and rod, two oppositely opposed limb plates con- 7 neetingeach pair of rods and means for moving the limb plates ot each pair wlthrespect to each other.

3. In a device of the character specified, in combination, a mainsupporting member, a plurality of angularly. positioned limb plate rodmembers slidably carried by the supporting member, means for fixedly attachingthe rods at predetermined positions upon the supporting member,means for allowing an angular movement of each slidable rod with respectto the supporting member, means for fixedly attaching each slidable rodto the supporting member at predetermined positions with angular respectto the supporting member, a second rod parallel to and spaced from eachslida'ble rod, two oppositely opposed limb plates connecting each pairofrods and means for moving the limb plates of eachpair with respect toeach other.

l. In a device of the character specified, in combination, a mainsupporting member, a plurality of angularly positioned limb plate rodmembers slidably carried ,by the supporting member, means for fixedlyattaching the rods at predetermined positions upon the supportingmember, a second rod parallel to and spaced -from each shdable rod, twooppositely opposed limb plates con- 'necting each pair 0t rods,vmeanstor movlng the limb'plates of each pair with respect to each other andmeans for determining the extent of limb platemovement.

5. In a device of the character specified, in combination, a mainsupporting member,

a plurality of angularly positioned limb plate rod membersslidablycarried by the supporting member, means for fixedly at tachingthe rodsv at predetermined positions upon the supporting member,meansfori allowing an angular movement of each slidable rod with respectto the supporting memher, means for fixedly attaching each slidable rodto the supportingmember at prede tcrmined positions with angular respectto the supporting member, a second rod paral-. lel to and spaced fromeach slidable rod, twooppositely opposed limb plates connecting eachpairof rods, means for moving the limb plates of each pair with respect toeach other and means for determining the extent of limb plate movement.

6In adevice ot' the characterspecified,

in combination, a main supporting member, a plurality of angularlypositioned limb plate rod members slidably carried by the supportingmember, means "for fixedly attaching the rods at predetermined positionsupon the supporting member, a second rod parallelto and spaced from eachslidable rod, two oppositely opposedlimb plates'connecting each pair ofrods, means for connecting and disconnecting va limb plate from a rod toallow the insertion of a limb and means for moving the limb plates ofeach pair withrespect to each other,

Ina device of the characterspeoified, in combination, a main supportingmember, a plurality of angularly positioned limb plate rod membersslidably carried by the supporting member, means iorfixedly attachingthe rodsat predetermined positions upon the supporting member, means forallowing an angular movement of each slidable rod with respect to thesupporting member, means for fixedly attaching each slidable rod to thesupporting member at predetermined positions with angular respect to thesupporting member, a second rod parallel to and spaced from eachslidable rod, two oppositely opposed limb plates connecting each pair ofrods, means for connecting and disconnecting a limb plate from a rod toallow the insertionof a limb, means for moving the limb plates of eachpair with respect to each other and means for determining the extent oflimb plate movement. x y i 8; In a device of the character specified,

in combination, a main supporting member,

a plurality of angularly positionedsleeves slidably carried by thesupporting member,

means for fixedly' attaching thesleeves at predetermined positions uponthe supporting member, a second sleeve parallel to and for fixedlyattaching in combination, a main supporting member, a plurallty ofangula'rly positioned sleeves slidably carried by the supporting member,means for fixedly attaching the sleeves at able member and means formoving the limb plates of each pair with respect to each other.

I 10. In a device of the character specified, in combination, a mainsupporting member, a plurality of angularly positioned sleeves slidablycarried by the supporting member, means for fixedly attaching thesleeves at predetermined positions upon the supporting member, means forallowing an angular movement of each slidable sleeve with respect to thesupporting member, means for fixedly attaching'each slidable sleeve tothe supporting member at predetermined positions with angular respect tothe supporting member, a second sleeve parallel to an spaced from eachslidable sleeve, a member slidable within each sleeve,'a limb plateconnecting each sleeve with the opposite slidable member, means formoving the limb plates of each pair with respect to each other andmeansfor determining the extent of limb plate movement.

11. In a device of the character specified,

in combination, a main supporting member,

a plurality of angularly positioned sleeves,

slidably carried by the supporting member, means for fixedly .attachingthe sleeves at predetermined positions upon the supporting member, meansfor allowing an angular movement of each slidable sleeve with.

respect to the supportingmember, means each slidable sleeve to thesupporting member at predetermined position with angular respect to thesupporting member, a second sleeve parallel to and spaced from eachslidable sleeve, a member slidable within each sleeve, a limb plateconnecting each sleeve with the opposite slidable member, means forconnecting and dis connecting a limb plate from a rod to allow theinsertion of a limb and means r'or moving the limb plates of each pairwith respect to each. other.v

12. Ina device of the character specified, in combination, a mainsupporting member, a plurality of compression members slidably carriedby the supporting member, means for fixedly attaching the compressionmembers at predetermined positions upon with the opposite slid-.

the supporting member, means for contracting and expanding thecompression members and an extensible ankle separator.

18. In a device oithe character specified, in combination, a mainsupporting member, a plurality of angularly positioned limb plate rodmembers slidably carried by the supporting member, means for fixedlyattaching the rods at predetermined positions upon the supportinglmember, means for'allowing an angular movement of each slid able rodwith respect to the supporting member, means for fixedly attaching eachslidable rod to j the supporting member at predetermined positions withangular respect to the supporting member, a second rod parallel to andspaced from each slid- V able rod, two oppositely opposed limb platesconnecting each pair of rods, means for moving the limb plates of eachpair with respect to each other and an extensible ankle separator.

a 14;. In a device of the character specified, in combination, a mainsupporting member, a plurality of angularly positioned limb plate rodmembers slidably carried by the supporting member, means for fixedlyattaching'the rods at predetermined positions upon the supportingmember, a second rod parallel to and spaced from each slidable rod, twooppositely opposed limb plates con necting each pair of rods,'means forconnecting'and disconnecting a limbplate from a rod to allow theinsertion ofa limb, means formoving the limb plates of each pair withrespect to each other and an extensible ankle separator.

15. In a device of the character specified,

in combination, a main supporting member,

tions with angular respect to the supporting member, a second sleeveparallel to and spaced from each slidable sleeve, a member slidablewithin each sleeve, a limb plate connecting each sleeve with theopposite slidable member, means for moving the limb plates of each pairwith respect to each other and an extensible ankle separator.

16. In a device of the character specified, in combination, a mainsupporting member, a plurality of angularly positionedsleeves slidablycarried by the supporting member, means for predetermined positions uponthe supporting member, means for allowing an angular movement of eachslidable sleeve with respect to the supporting member, means for fixedlyattaching the sleeves at fixedly attaching each slidable sleeve to thesupporting member at predetermined positions with angular respect to thesupporting member, a second sleeve parallel to and spaced from eachslidable sleeve, a member slidable within each sleeve, a limb plateconnecting each sleeve with the opposite slidable member, means forconnecting and disconnecting a limb plate from a rod to allow theinsertion of a limb, means for moving the limb plates of each pair withrespect to each other and an extensible ankle separator.

Signed at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of January,1921.

JOHN HILGERS.

of New York, this 5th day

